1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turning mechanism for a patient confined to a bed, more particularly a turning mechanism for a patient, which is relatively uncomplicated in structure, and convenient to use.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary for the position of a patient confined to a bed and unable to turn himself or herself to be periodically changed by nurses or people providing care to a patient to prevent bedsores, pressure sores and other maladies associated with lying in one position for a long period of time. In addition, nurses or people providing care to a patient have to frequently change the position of the patient in bed when washing, dressing and undressing the patient and in providing other care. To prevent a bedridden patient from lying on the bed in a fixed position for an extended period of time, people providing care periodically turn the patient between the back-rest position and side-rest positions, which can be a left side-rest position or a right side-rest one, for allowing the patient to rest on the bed in each of the different positions for a certain period of time.
Therefore, the nurses or people providing care to an invalid patient would spend relatively much labor if they have to turn the patient manually without assistance device. Turning devices have been provided for allowing nurses or people, providing care to a bedridden patient, to turn the patient between the various rest positions with reduced labor and length of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,874 disclosed a xe2x80x9cTurn sheet for invalidxe2x80x9d, which includes a lift device 12, chains 70, and bars 66, and a turn sheet 10, which is turned with the lift device 12 working with the chains 70, and the bars 66. This mechanism only allows the patient to be turned to single side rest position. The lift device 12 has to be separated from the turn sheet 10, and then moved to the other side of the bed, and finally connected to the other side of the turn sheet 10 for allowing the patient to be turned to the other side rest position. Therefore, this mechanism is not convenient to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,267 disclosed a xe2x80x9cMethod for lifting and turning a patient confined to a bedxe2x80x9d, which allows a patient to be turned to both side rest positions. However, the mechanism used in this method has relatively complicated structure, and the patient lying on the bed is enclosed by an upper section of the mechanism, which is likely to interfere with medical staff""s providing service to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,862 disclosed a xe2x80x9cPatient turning device and method for lateral traveling transfer systemxe2x80x9d, which have straps 54 passed over two sides of a patient for turning the patient between various positions. This device has relatively uncomplicated but pulling force of the straps 54 is concentrated on the middle of the patient, may cause stress concentration and discomfort to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,304 disclosed a xe2x80x9cBed rail mounted drive unit for patient positionerxe2x80x9d, which is equipped with straps 20, 22. This device has similarly drawback as the last one, and could cause uneven rotation and discomfort to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,371 disclosed a xe2x80x9cBed patient turning, lifting and transporting apparatus with mobile, folding and knockdown framexe2x80x9d, which is even more complicated than the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,267, and has a drawback that the upper section is likely to interfere with medical staff or other people""s providing service to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,443 disclosed an xe2x80x9cApparatus for turning a patient in bedxe2x80x9d, which has a longitudinal shaft 24 capable of moving a pull sheet portion 12 for turning a patient. This device is likely to interfere with medical staff or other people""s providing service to the patient due to the strap elements 18, 20.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,636 B1 disclosed a xe2x80x9cPatient rotation systemxe2x80x9d, which is relatively uncomplicated in the structure. However, this device can only be used to turn a patient to a single side rest position, therefore the use of this device is restricted.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a turning mechanism for a patient confined to a bed, which is relatively uncomplicated in structure, and which can be used to turn the patient to both left and right side rest positions, with little stress concentration to patient""s body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a turning mechanism for a patient confined to a bed, which can be used with little labor.
The turning mechanism of the present invention includes two pivotal frames, and two adjusting members, which are connected to respective frames provided for moving the frames between a horizontal position and a tilted one. A sheet is connected to elongated rods of the frames. The adjusting members have transmission shafts, which are connected to motors, and which have threaded sections screwed through respective moving blocks, to which propping rods are pivoted. The propping rods are pivoted to the frames at the other ends so that when the motors are activated, the moving blocks move along threaded sections, and the respective frames are adjusted with the propping rods.